Load averages approach 1.0 after fresh install on RPi4

Troubleshooting
1

After a fresh install and all first run processes and reboots, all 3 load values are approaching 1.0. top shows 99.9% idle and there is no abnormal process. What is happening here?

  • DietPi version |
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_CORE=9
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_SUB=14
    G_DIETPI_VERSION_RC=2
    G_GITBRANCH=‘master’
    G_GITOWNER=‘MichaIng’
    G_LIVE_PATCH_STATUS[0]=‘applied’
  • Distro version | bookworm
  • Kernel version | Linux DietPi 6.12.34+rpt-rpi-v8 #1 SMP PREEMPT Debian 1:6.12.34-1+rpt1~bookworm (2025-06-26) aarch64 GNU/Linux
  • Architecture | arm64
  • SBC model | RPi 4 Model B (aarch64)
  • Power supply used | official Raspberry 5V 3A
  • SD card used | SanDisk extreme 64 GB
2

maybe some kernel processes, can you watch them for a while using htop.
May RPI4 running PiHole, Docker and Unbound stays at 0.01-0.03 whole time

3

No change even after many hours.
Maybe an interaction between new kernel version and raspi firmware. Is it possible to downgrade one or both to rule this out?

4

did you select the kernel threads to be shown in htop??

Kernel is the original RPI kernel (not maintained by DietPi team), therefore you can use original RPI tools to change them.

5

Also htop (shift-k) does not show any noticeable kernel threads that consume system resources.

6

I just flashed a fresh Raspberry Pi OS which has the same kernel after dist-upgrade:
Linux raspberrypi 6.12.34+rpt-rpi-v8 #1 SMP PREEMPT Debian 1:6.12.34-1+rpt1~bookworm (2025-06-26) aarch64 GNU/Linux
There is no load issue. Therefore, it may not be a kernel problem.

7

well from our side, there is no process that could cause such behaviour and actually you are the only one reporting it. Could you try with a fresh new image from our web site?

8

I have done this 2 times, also tried 2 different Raspi 4 (2 GB / 4 GB).

9

you are using SD card? or USB drive?

10

SD: SanDisk extreme 64 GB

11

I will do some testing and check with our developer

12

If it helps I can still test a fresh Dietpi on older boards like Raspi 3 and Raspi 1.

13

all good, I have some spare system at my lab

14

I have now made the following observation:
At the first boot and login via ssh I canceled “Applying initial first run setup steps” and looked at the load: normal at 0.0 (kernel version: 6.12.25).
apt update shows, among 5 other upgradeable packages, this one:
linux-image-rpi-v8.
When I start this single installation:
“The following NEW packages will be installed:
linux-image-6.12.34+rpt-rpi-v8
The following packages will be upgraded:
linux-image-rpi-v8”
and then reboot the error with load 1.0 appears.

15

Yeah these are regular RPI packages. Do you still have the RPI OS installation available? Maybe you can do a package update to ensure same conditions.

apt update && apt upgrade
16

image is currently being written ^^

17

again no load issue with RPI OS

18

Even after running package updates? Strange. There is no difference between RPI kernel and firmware packages as we use exactly same.

19

Yeah very strange. Can I test something else?

20

I contacted our developer already. Let’s wait on him.

One idea would be to copy config.txt from RPI OS to the DietPi system and see how it behaves.